Hat-sizing machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. O. PALMER. v

HAT SIZING MACHINE. No. 320,581. Patented June 23, 1885.

N. PETERS. Phemuthngn lw. wnhin mn. D. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. O. PALMER.

HAT SIZING MACHINE.

No. 320,581. Patented June 23. 1885.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3. S. G. PALMER.

HAT SIZING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

No. 320,581. Patented June 23, 1885.

nvenfor fiqymowr afalmer 5 N. PETERS- Pmmumo m NI'IED STATES PATENT FFIQE SEYMOUR C. PALMER, OF SOUTH NOR\VALK, CONNECTICUT.

HAT-SIZING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,581, dated June 23, 1885.

Application filed January 13, 1985. (No model.)

T 0 (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SEYMOUR O. PALMER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at South Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat-Sizing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in machines for sizing fur hats, and has for its object to provide a machine for this purpose which shall automatically perform the function of sizing, and which may be regulated so as to continue this operation for a longer or shorter time, as may be desired; and furthermore, my invention has for its object to treat the roll after the manner of hand manipulation, and to remove the particles of fur uniformly without the formation of the so-ealled lightning-rods 0r crow-feet in the hat.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists in the several details of construction and combination of elements, hereinafter fully eX- plained, and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may understand more fully how to make and use my im provement, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a central vertical cross-section of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a front elevation, one end of the machine being broken away; and Fig. 3, an end elevation of my improvement above the horizontal plane of the bed.

Similar letters denote like parts in the eral figures of the drawings.

In the art of hat-sizing it is necessary, in order to produce a superior article of manufacture, to conform to the following conditions: First, to compress the hat-roll with a rolling movement, gradually relieving the compression at the end of said movement, a slight pressure being brought to bear upon the roll to move it backward to a position for further manipulation; second, to be careful to manipulate work of the same nature throughout the same time, and with a uniform degree' of pressure of the sizing-surfaces. Various machines have been devised to accomplish this purpose, but it is obvious that nothing but an automatic construction can perform the desired functions in accordance with the conditions above mentioned. Very often during the process of hand'sizing the workmen inadvertently oversize the hats, especially if their minds are preoccupied, and it is with a view to overcome these difficulties that the present machine is constructed.

A are uprights or standards,which form the two ends of the machine, and are secured to gether by the brace-frame B and rods 0. In the tops of these standards are slots D, in which are fitted boxings E, so as to have a free vertical movement, the object of which will be. presently explained.

Journaled within the boxings E is the rockshaft F, extending out at either end of the machine, (but one end being shown in the drawings,) and supported by connecting rods G, the lower ends of which are in turn supported by cranlcpins H. These pins are secured to adjustable levers I, which are fulcrumed at J to the disks K.

The free ends of the levers I are slotted at L, and through these slots and into the disks K pass bolts M. The object of this construction is to give the crank-pins more or less throw, which is accomplished by simply loosing the bolts M and moving the levers I to or from the center of the disks, and again tight ening the bolts,thereby securing the levers in the required position. The disks K are secured on the outer extremities of drivingshaft N, which is journaled in the standards above the center of the machine and in vertical alignment with the rock-shaft F.

O are oscillating hangers keyed or otherwise rigidly secured on the rock-shaft, and extend ing down below the drivingshaft. The lower ICO are formed guide-ways P, in which are fitted boxings Q,,adapted to slide vertically therein.

R is a crank formed on or secured to the drivingishaft. This crank passes through and has its bearing in the boxing Q, so that it will be readily understood that when the drivingshaft is caused to revolve the crank R will cause the hangers O to oscillate back and forth, the center of oscillation being the rock shaft F, and at the same time the crank-pins H, through the connecting-rods G, will raise and lower said rock-shaft. The hangers being secured to the rock-shaft, it will be obvious, therefore,that at every revolution of the driving-shaft said hangers and the sizing-surface attached thereto will be caused to oscillate, as described, and at the same time have a vertical reciprocating motion, the object of which will be presently explained.

S are slide-frames running in guide-ways T, formed in the braceframes B. To these slideframes are adj ustably secured triangular frames U by means of headed bolts V,passing through slots WV in the frames U and into the frames S.

X is an adj ustingscrew the shank of which passes through and is swiveled or collared to the block Y, east with the frame U. This screw passes downward and engages with threads in a block, Z, forming a part of the slide-fran1e S. By manipulating the screw X the slide-frame will be raised or lowered, as the case may be, the object of which will be hereinafter explained.

A are braeketribs secured to the upper portion of the slide-frames and extending out on either side of the machine at right angles to its length.

13 are four frames, which are supported by plate-springs U C placed upon the ribs A.

To the frames B are secured sizing-surfaces D, which may or may not be roughened, as desired. These surfaces form an arc of a cir-' cle described from the center of the rock- Shaft F.

E arebrackets, four in number, bolted to the standards A.

F are ratchet wheels, j ournaled to said brackets by means of short shafts G.

H are grooved pulleys secured to and concentric with the ratchet-wheels. Around these pulleys are cords I, which support weights J, by which the pulleys and ratchets are revolved backward when released, as will be explained.

K are bellcrank levers, pivoted on the short shafts G, the lower ends extending downward and inward and terminating in forks L, between which are pivoted guide-tubes The upper ends of said levers extend upward, and are slotted at their extremities.

N are long sliding bolts fitted in lugs O projecting from the brackets. Secured to said bolts are studs P, from which project pins Q into the slots in the upper extremities of the bell-crank levers K, so that any movement of the bolts will operate said levers;

R are lugs projecting from the faces of the triangular frames U, under which the bolts N latch to retain the frame in an elevated position while the hat-roll is being acted upon.

S are retaining gravity-pawls pivoted to the brackets and having heel ends extending up within the plane of the movement of pins T projecting from the bolts N. To the rockshaft F, just inside of the standards, are secured small walkingbeams U, whose ends are forked, and have pivoted therein heads V, in which are secured the upper ends of rods V. These rods extend downward, theirlower ends passing through the guide-tubes M, and are freeto slide therein.

X are pawl-boxes, secured to the rods WV by means of set'screws.

Y are slide-pawls, set in the boxes X and actuated by coil springs Z, placed behind them. Within the boxes A are holes in the faces of the ratchet-wheels adapted to receive the pins B".

O are studs secured to the ratchet-wheels and adapted to strike against lugs D on the under side of the bolts N, in the backward to tation of the ratchet-wheels, as will be presently explained.

E are treadles pivoted to the lower lugs of the standards, their inner ends being provided with springactuated loolts F G are extensions of the triangular frames U, and when the latter are in their lowered position said extensions rest on the bolts F of the treadles. When the treadles are operated to raise the frames U, their inner ends will describe circles from their pivotal points, and when said frames have been raised to the required height the bolts will pass from under the extensions and the frames drop till arrested by the lugs R catching on the bolts N.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved. sizing-machine will obviously be as follows: The driving-shaft N is caused to revolve by a belt connecting the pulleys H 1 (fast and loose) on said shaft with any convenient countershaft. As this shaft revolves,the oscillating hangers and upper sizing-surface attached thereto will be caused to move back and forth and up and down, as herein before set forth. The hatroll is placed upon one of the sizingsurfaces D, of which there are four, each having independent operating mechanism and an attendant. Now, by operating one of the treadles E, the triangular frames, sliding frame, and sizing-surface corresponding to said treadlc will be thrown up until the bolt N slides under the lug R and retains the above-named parts in this elevated position, which brings the hat-roll on this surface in the field of operation of the upper sizing-surfacawhich acts upon it after the manner of handsizing, exerting considerable pressure through the forward stroke, then ceasing this pressure almost entirely, leaving only enough on the backward stroke to carry the roll back for a repe- I ca tition of the operation. At each rise and fall of the oscillating shaft the rods 7' operate the pawls and cause the ratchet-wheels to turn one tooth, so that it will bereadily understood that at every operation of the upper sizingsurface on the hat-roll the ratchet will be turned one tooth,which will advance the stud C a like distance, until being moved step by step it strikes the lug D", withdrawing the bolt N from under the lugs B, when the sizing-surface, being supported by said lug, as before explained, will drop by gravity until arrested by the treadle or other convenient stop. Thus the hat-roll is taken without the field of action of the upper sizing-surface automatically. \Vhen the bolt N is withdrawn by the stud C the upper end of the bellcrank lever K will be caused to move backward by its connections with said bolt, as above set forth, thus causing the lower end of said lever to move inward, which, acting asa guide for the rod WV, will throw the pawl Y, carried by said rod inward, so that the actuation of said pawl will not operate the ratchet.

It will be seen that by this construction each bed or lower sizing-surface is entirely independent of the others, as one or any of the pawlsY may be thrown out ofengagement with the ratchet without affecting the others; also, by the backward movement of the bolt N the retaining-pawl S is drawn out of engagement with the ratchet, as hereinbcfore explained, thus allowing the weight to turn said ratchet backward till the pin B? strikes the lug D forcing the bolt inward and stopping said ratchet, and restoring the operating mechan ism to its normal position for a repetition of the above when the hats have been crozed and replaced on the bed or lower sizing-surface.

The time that the hatroll is acted upon before the dropping of the bed is determined by the position of the pin B-for instance, if the pin B be in the second hole of the series, as shown in the drawings, and in its normal position against the lug D", the stud C will be, say twenty teeth of the ratchet away from the ln g I). The pawl Y will therefore have to oper ate the ratchet twenty times before the stud C will strike said lug and withdraw the bolt N, which will allow the bed to drop and the ratchet to return to its normal position, as before explained.

If it is desired to operate on the hat-roll, more or less, it is only necessary to change the pin B in the series of holes A, so that the normal position of the stud C will be farther from or nearer to the lug D If at any time during the manipulation of the machine the hatroll should be inserted wrongly, or from any other cause it should become necessary to drop the bed before the automatic mechanism did so, it is only necessary for the operator to grasp the handle P and withdraw the bolt, when the result will be the same as when said bolt was withdrawn by the action of the stud G I do not wish to be confined to any particular kind of mechanism or combination of parts for efi'ecting the automatic operation of the lower sizing beds or surfaces, since I am enabled to accomplish this result in many ways, the gist of my invention in this respect resting in the broad idea of producing a machine of this description in which the duration of the sizing operation shall be perfectly automatic, while at the same time it may be regulated and isfurthermorc capable of being limited by the operator at any time.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new and useful, is

1. In a hat sizing machine, a single upper sizing surface in combination with one or more hat-roll supports capable of vertical adjustment and adapted to be lowered without the field of act-ion of said surface, and means for automatically imparting to the upper sizing-surface a simultaneous oscillating and vertically-rcciprocating movement, whereby the hat-roll is revolved, and at the same time compressed after the manner of hand-sizing, substantially as set forth.

2. In ahat-sizing machine, an upper sizingsurface adapted to be automaticallyoscillated transverse to the hat-roll, in combination with means for automatically raising and lowering said surfaces simultaneously with the oscillation, substantially as set forth.

3. In a hat sizing machine, the upper sizing'surface adapted to be oscillated, and at the same time have a vertical reciprocation, whereby the hat-roll is revolved and compressed, substantially as set forth.

4. In a hatsizing machine, the combination, with lower sizing-beds adapted to be dropped automatically, of an upper sizing-surface constructed and arranged to have two movements-namely, an oscillation transverse to the lengthwise directionof the hilt/T011, and a vertical reciprocation, whereby said roll may be operated upon and then relieved from pressure-after the manner of hand-sizing, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a hatsizing machine,the combination, with the power-shaft which operates the upper sizing-surface of the hat-roll supports, means connected to said shaft for automatically dropping said supports at a predetermined time, and the upper sizing-surface ca pable of simultaneous oscillatory and vertically reciprocatory movements, substantially as set forth.

6. In a hat-sizing machine, the drivingshaft having arranged thereon the liftingcranks and oscillating-crank, in combination with the rockshaft, hangers, and sizing-surfaces, as specified.

7. In a hat-sizing machine, the driving and oscillating shafts connected by rods G, the latter shaft supporting the hangers and imparting a vertical reciprocation thereto, while the crank R on the former gives said hangers an oscillatory movement, in combination with the sizingsurfaces adapted to be separated ICO ICS

automatically, and means For restoring said surfaces to their juxtaposition, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a hat-sizing machine, the upper sizing-surface operated as described, in combination with the lower sizing-surfaces, inde pendent of each other, adapted to be elevated by the treadles E and retained in an elevated the upper and lower sizing-surfaces, the f0rmer having an oscillating and vertically-recur rocating movement, the latter being actuated by the treadles E bolts N, and ratchet-wheels F, as specified.

11. In combination with the lower sizingsurl'aces or beds of a hat-Sizer, the bolts N, ratchet-wheels F, actuated by the pawls Y, and revolved backward by the weights J, bell-crank levers K, and retaining-pawls S, both connected to and operated by the bolts N, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SEYMOUR C. PALMER. lVitnesses:

WV. H. PALMER, J. BOGART. 

